OBJECTIVE: Improving provider recommendations is critical to addressing low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage. Thus, we sought to determine the effectiveness of training providers to improve their recommendations using either presumptive "announcements" or participatory "conversations." METHODS:In 2015, we conducted a parallel-group randomized clinical trial with 30 pediatric and family medicine clinics in central North Carolina. We randomized clinics to receive no training (control), announcement training, or conversation training. Announcements are brief statements that assume parents are ready to vaccinate, whereas conversations engage parents in open-ended discussions. A physician led the 1-hour, in-clinic training. The North Carolina Immunization Registry provided data on the primary trial outcome: 6-month coverage change in HPV vaccine initiation (≥1 dose) for adolescents aged 11 or 12 years. RESULTS:The immunization registry attributed 17 173 adolescents aged 11 or 12 to the 29 clinics still open at 6-months posttraining. Six-month increases in HPV vaccination coverage were larger for patients in clinics that received announcement training versus those in control clinics (5.4% difference, 95% confidence interval: 1.1%-9.7%). Stratified analyses showed increases for both girls (4.6% difference) and boys (6.2% difference). Patients in clinics receiving conversation training did not differ from those in control clinics with respect to changes in HPV vaccination coverage. Neither training was effective for changing coverage for other vaccination outcomes or for adolescents aged 13 through 17 (n = 37 796). CONCLUSIONS:Training providers to use announcements resulted in a clinically meaningful increase in HPV vaccine initiation among young adolescents.

The aims of this study were to determine the percentage of females who after initiating the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series, both completed it and completed it on-time, as well as to examine factors associated with series completion and on-time completion. Using data from the North Carolina Immunization Registry, of 138,823 females analyzed, 55% completed the series, and 28% completed it on-time. Over 83% of those who initiated the vaccine series in 2006 completed it by the final study date, as compared to 32% of those who initiated the vaccine in 2009. On-time dosing rates, however, are declining, and have been hovering at 25% for the last two years of the study. Factors such as African-American race and public funding were significantly associated with lower rates of on-time dosing as well as series completion when compared to White race and private funding, respectively. Among girls and young women who initiate the HPV vaccination series, overall completion rates are low, but if given enough time most of those who begin the series will complete it. Our results suggest that strategies to improve the timely completion of the HPV vaccination series may be needed.

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the leading causes of pregnancy-related death. Prenatal health care providers can offer critical screening and support to pregnant people who experience IPV. During the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order, mobile apps may offer such people the opportunity to continue receiving screening and support services. Objective We aimed to examine cases of IPV that were reported on a prenatal care app before and during the implementation of COVID-19 shelter-in-place mandates. Methods The number of patients who underwent voluntary IPV screening and the incidence rate of IPV were determined by using a prenatal care app that was disseminated to patients from a single, large health care system. We compared the IPV screening frequencies and IPV incidence rates of patients who started using the app before the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order, to those of patients who started using the app during the shelter-in-place order. Results We found 552 patients who started using the app within 60 days prior to the enforcement of the shelter-in-place order, and 407 patients who used the app at the start of shelter-in-place enforcement until the order was lifted. The incidence rates of voluntary IPV screening for new app users during the two time periods were similar (before sheltering in place: 252/552, 46%; during sheltering in place: 163/407, 40%). The overall use of the IPV screening tool increased during the shelter-in-place order. A slight, nonsignificant increase in the incidence of physical, sexual, and psychological violence during the shelter-in-place order was found across all app users (P=.56). Notably, none of the patients who screened positively for IPV had mentions of IPV in their medical charts. Conclusions App-based screening for IPV is feasible during times when in-person access to health care providers is limited. Our results suggest that the incidence of IPV slightly increased during the shelter-in-place order. App-based screening may also address the needs of those who are unwilling or unable to share their IPV experiences with their health care provider.

Objective To analyze organization-level correlates of immunization coverage among adolescents served by high-volume primary care providers in North Carolina. Method We randomly selected 91 clinics with at least 200 active records for patients ages 11–18 in the North Carolina Immunization Registry. For the 105,121 adolescents served by these clinics, we obtained immunization status for 6 vaccines, including human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (females only); meningococcal conjugate; and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis booster (Tdap). Results Clinics specializing in pediatrics had higher coverage for meningococcal vaccine (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.25–2.55), Tdap vaccine (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.00–1.50), and childhood vaccines. However, pediatric clinics had lower coverage for HPV vaccine initiation (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.52–0.94). Other correlates, which varied by vaccine, included policies related to vaccine documentation and the age at which clinics recommended vaccines. Conclusion Overall, adolescents were more likely to receive vaccines, except HPV vaccine, if they attended a pediatric clinic with supportive clinical policies.

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